Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2026 campaign has been far from satisfactory, with the franchise losing seven of its 12 matches so far. Led by Axar Patel, the team still has a narrow route to the playoffs, but only if results go their way in the final stretch: they need to win both of their remaining games and also make a meaningful improvement to their Net Run Rate (NRR). DC stayed alive in the race after producing a standout performance against Punjab Kings on Monday, yet concerns are still lingering—particularly around the effectiveness of their spin options, especially Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.
Axar did not take part in the bowling on Monday, but the bigger debate has been brewing since DC’s earlier defeat to Chennai Super Kings, when Axar publicly pointed to Kuldeep. That decision has drawn criticism from former India batter Mohammad Kaif, who felt it was a misstep for Axar to single out Kuldeep in the open. Kaif argued that leadership at the top level should avoid public blame and instead protect players during difficult phases.
“A mature captain never publicly names one of his players or lets his player down. He does not openly blame him. I can understand that Kuldeep has gone through a tough phase this season—he has not bowled that well and hasn’t picked up many wickets. But ever since he joined Delhi, he has been a proven bowler,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif also highlighted Kuldeep’s track record at international level, saying the left-arm spinner has delivered consistently for India across formats. In his view, calling out a player after a poor run can fracture relationships inside the dressing room and disrupt confidence.
“Forget just the IPL; even if you talk about India in ODIs or T20Is over the years, he has consistently performed. Yes, this season has been a bit quiet for him and his bowling has not been at its best. But you should never take a player’s name publicly. Instead, you should simply say that things did not go well as a team,” he added.
